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Wednesday, August 7, 2013

DNA Info: Bobby Rush Denies He Sold Out Englewood for $50K

US Rep. Bobby Rush

This has been in the news recently a growing scandal at Metra. The CEO resigned and it started off with a severance package for him and then allegations of political influence for some employees to get raises and then the chairman of the board of Metra resigns and also several other Metra board members resign. This includes businessman Larry Huggins who resigned last week.

It appears Congressman Bobby Rush has found himself ensared in this scandal because of his role in the Englewood flyover:

U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Chicago) said Tuesday he never tried to force Alex Clifford, the former CEO of Metra, to pay a Washington, D.C., organization $50,000 to monitor a federally funded transit project in his South Side district.

Instead, Rush said he only suggested the National Black Chamber of Commerce because he was asked to make a recommendation by Metra for the $93 million Englewood "flyover" bridge project.

"I did not speak to anyone at Metra directly. Someone from Metra called my office and made the request," Rush said at a news conference in Englewood.

Clifford has said that he was forced out of his job at the metropolitan rail agency after resisting pressure by powerful politicians in hiring and contract decisions, and named Rush in a memo.

Metra ultimately refused to pay the Black Chamber of Commerce to monitor hiring.

1 comment:

We'll see...many Sixth Ward readers haven't had much luck with elected officials lately: former St. Rep. Connie Howard, St. Senator Donne Trotter, and former Cook County COmmissioner Bill Beavers have all done illegal things & been to court... if Rush is added to the mix, it will be a greater embarrassment to our community.

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